The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-20
THE DAILY NEWS
A FRUIT OF the FUTURE.
An Inviting Field of Research for Pa

An inviting f1eid of Research for P0-
mOlogssts.
p. w. Reasoner IN Florida Fruit Grower
BY some authorities all the species of
isadfun are regarded as natives of the
american continent. Others credit
China with one or more species: LOudon
says OF the Cattley guava, introduced
from China by Messrs. Barr x Brooks,
nursery men, and fruited by w. Cattley,
r. H. >, IN 1920" Other authors agree
WIN Loudon in giving China as its
native habitat, though few, notably
Baron Won Mueller, the Austrian tOta-
MIST, name it as Brazilian species. Ii
may possibly at an early day have been
carried to China from Brazil before its
introduction into England. The hardy
yellow guava by some is classed as
variety of p. Cattleyanum, by others as
distinct species-P. Chinense.
Major Rocks. of Fruitland Park. and
Mr.. +. Hart. of Federal Point, who have
had much experience in the cultivation
of these hardy guavas tell us that by Sc
lection they may be much improved i'm
size and flavor. Hybridization would
also probably work wonders in the case
Of the guava, as it has already done with
the grape and other improved fruits.
That the guava is fruit with great
future, we have no doubt. When the
dozens of different species, and hun
dreds of distinct varieties shall have been
brought together, let us say in Florida
where they are SO much at home, i'm
proved by selection. cultivation. hybridi-
zation, even one-tenth as much as has
been done with the apple. tine peach, the
strawberry, who can even prOphesy the
RESULT
In Manatee, where perhaps more than
at any other spot in Florida, the com
ya u ~ haH ztr.r ya<l
itself with but little attempt at culture
and improvement other than that of
Dame Nature, many varieties, far SUI
perior to the original parent sorts, have
sprung into existence. The first intro
ductiOn of this ordinary guava into
South Florida was in 1S46. by Col. III. V.
Smell, now of Gainesville. This gentle
man brought the ripe fruit from Havana
and planted the seeds at his home at
Sarasota. The next year he brought
some which were planted at Manatee.
These original trees still exist, at least
the roots, as the tops have been killed
down by frost two or three times, and
may be seen at the old Whitaker home
stead ON Sara Sofa Bay, and in the grove
of Mrs. Gates, in Manatee village. From
these trees most of the guavas in this
part of South Florida have sprung. and
now a score of more varieties may be
found near here with fruit infinitely
superior in all good points, to that of
these original trees. Some are nearly
seedless, others almost entirely without
the objectionable ''musky" flavor and
Odor, some as large as a gOOd-sized apple
and some with flavor as delicate as that
of strawberry.
To return to the more hardy species.
On the grounds of Major A. j. Adams.
of Manatee, is growing a specimen of a
hardy guava. which is either distinct
Species or at least very distinct and
superior variety of the Cattley guava
The plant was originally received from
the Department at Washington, but the
label has been lost. The fruit is of
larger size than that Of the ordinary
''Cattley" as grown in Florida, of rich
purple color when ripe INSTEAD of the
ciaret color of the Cattley): in flavor
much superior, and more inclined to
grow in clusters than is the ordinary
Cattley. The bush seems to be more
vigorous, more hardy mot leaf was
singed in the freeze of 'S6), and leaves
are thicker and of darker green. If
only variety of the Cattiey, this guava
certainly gives us grounds to hope for
even better things in the future.
Won Mueller enumerates, in addition
to these sorts, the following species, ma
tives of the West Indies and South
America: Psidinm iridium. p. Araca, p.
drbOreum, +. eiasysOphgiium, p. cine
reum, Il. co1'dotum, y. cuRedtuna. p.
II. grandyOlium, p. iacaaescens, p.
HnedfifOiium, p. mdiaifOiium, p. poly
cdrpOn, p. ruf,tm. Many of these spe-
cies are found in cool mountain regions,
even as far south as Uruguay, and
would undoubtedly prove hardy in
Florida. Several are described as pro-
ducing fruit of most exquisite taste
The ordinary species, Psidium guaiar0,
corresponds to the Two species of Lima
Gus. p. pOmiferum and r. pyiferun,,
the apple-shaped and the pear-shaped.
Another species said to be quite hardy is
y. c,Vdritius. We have not seen the
fruit, but the leaves of the young plants
resemble those of the ordinary species
rather than those of the Cattley. Psid-
iam Gnineense is a vigorous grower, but
our plants are still too small to deter
mine relative hardness. The fruit of
tins species is very favorably noticed by
Whitner.
ROYAL PALM NURSERIES.
Manatee, Fla, March 25, 1887.
-N